General Discussion

diabeticman

(3,121 posts) Thu Jul 25, 2013, 06:38 PM Jul 2013

How many have been on a jury before? My wife feels for that Juror on the Zimmerman trial.

My knows what it is like to be torn like the Zimmerman juror was. As some of you may know wife has been serving on a Federal Grand Jury for a while now... (WE CAN'T WAIT UNTIL IT IS OVER) and though she DOES NOT determine a person's guilt or innocence she is determining IF the Government has a case to proceed to trial and hand down indictments (She is VERY careful what she tells me because she is trying to follow the rules set to her.)

She can only begin to understand the psychological mind games going on within that juror's mind and was placed upon her by the lawyers and fellow jurors. It is hard to stick to your values and your own ideas when you are basically in a bubble where you are pulled by so many in one direction as oppose to going to the other.

My wife refuses to make "Friends" with her fellow jurors. She knows she would be influence by people she respects. She is friendly BUT she refuses to "GO TO LUNCH" or "Hang out together". She brings her MP3 player and a book. She tries to not get involved in conversations that has to do with past cases they heard or just heard. She doesn't laugh at the lawyers jokes because she knows this is a way to become "Likable" to the jurors. She knows this is what lawyers want because they want jurors to see things there way.

She gets frustrated with her fellow jurors because she feels the atmosphere in the room can get "Frat" like and the way some of her jurors think "THEY ARE HELPING TO GET THE BAD GUYS" makes her sick. Just because the government brings charges doesn't mean the government is completely right. There is the defense story which is never heard. She feels she is hated by her jurors but she doesn't care because she is determined to stick to her views and values BUT she has said the way some of the laws are written makes her sick and no she has not gone into details BUT she has vented her frustration in a general vents.

I do see sometimes how much she dreads going to the sessions and how she has basically lost faith in her fellow citizens.

So before everyone says how easily it would be to hang the jury a small point of view to ponder.

22 replies

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How many have been on a jury before? My wife feels for that Juror on the Zimmerman trial. (Original Post) diabeticman Jul 2013 OP

It's not the juror's job to pintobean Jul 2013 #1

Oh she does. She stick to her values about being a honest judge of the evidence and law as diabeticman Jul 2013 #2

Apply the law as they see it. How can B29 say it was not "intentional." Hoyt Jul 2013 #3

You only used the word bigot 3 times in that post. pintobean Jul 2013 #6

Make sure Zman's supporters see it, most are bigots AND gun nuts. A few might just be one. Hoyt Jul 2013 #8

It's called jury nullification.... socialist_n_TN Jul 2013 #12

She's not second guessing herself. She's trying to rehabilitate herself in the public eye. cherokeeprogressive Jul 2013 #9

Or maybe she is doing it for the money. bigwillq Jul 2013 #10

In any case, I wouldn't want to be in her shoes. She's got a tough row to hoe from here on out. cherokeeprogressive Jul 2013 #11

Those people still get on the jury Nevernose Jul 2013 #15

Then why come on TV, no one knew who she is. She did more wrong than Trayvon. Hoyt Jul 2013 #13

No way her anonymity was going to last forever. Before too long we'll know who they ALL are. cherokeeprogressive Jul 2013 #14

Well, the bigots told us there would be riots after the verdict - but didn't happen. Hoyt Jul 2013 #16

Once, in FL ironically BainsBane Jul 2013 #4

neither doe my wife BUT she said her small experience is only the tip of the iceberg compare to diabeticman Jul 2013 #5

I have been on three juries and one was a murder trial. LeftofObama Jul 2013 #7

I've been on a jury Control-Z Jul 2013 #17

No Federal Grand Jury is picked by Those registered to vote. She was basically picked at random diabeticman Jul 2013 #18

Wow. I had no idea. Control-Z Jul 2013 #19

actully the computer makes the determination of the panel and who the forperson is diabeticman Jul 2013 #20

was on jury about 3 yrs ago. it was interesting Liberal_in_LA Jul 2013 #21

I was on jury duty once & I left feeling very good about the jury system. I thought we discussed HiPointDem Jul 2013 #22

pintobean

(18,101 posts)

1. It's not the juror's job to

Reply to diabeticman (Original post)

Thu Jul 25, 2013, 06:48 PM

Jul 2013

stick to their values and their own ideas. They evaluate evidence and apply the law.

diabeticman

(3,121 posts)

2. Oh she does. She stick to her values about being a honest judge of the evidence and law as

Reply to pintobean (Reply #1)

Thu Jul 25, 2013, 06:52 PM

Jul 2013

presented to her by the lawyers. It is her idea to not judge the person the indictment is being placed upon as innocent or guilty as some of her fellow jurors have made comments about. She is repulsed that some of her jurors laugh and joke about WHEN they are deal with peoples lives.

Hoyt

(54,770 posts)

3. Apply the law as they see it. How can B29 say it was not "intentional."

Reply to pintobean (Reply #1)

Thu Jul 25, 2013, 06:55 PM

Jul 2013

The little bigot stalked Martin, scared the hell out of him, and pulled his gun out and shot him. That is intentional. The bigots like B37 convicted a dead kid.

B29 is second guessing herself, as well she should and those who support laws, and justice, that let the bigot with a gun free to walk among us with another friggin gun.

pintobean

(18,101 posts)

6. You only used the word bigot 3 times in that post.

Reply to Hoyt (Reply #3)

Thu Jul 25, 2013, 07:03 PM

Jul 2013

You're slipping.

"Apply the law as they see it."? Where did you get that?

Hoyt

(54,770 posts)

8. Make sure Zman's supporters see it, most are bigots AND gun nuts. A few might just be one.

Reply to pintobean (Reply #6)

Thu Jul 25, 2013, 08:41 PM

Jul 2013

socialist_n_TN

(11,481 posts)

12. It's called jury nullification....

Reply to pintobean (Reply #6)

Thu Jul 25, 2013, 08:56 PM

Jul 2013

cherokeeprogressive

(24,853 posts)

9. She's not second guessing herself. She's trying to rehabilitate herself in the public eye.

Reply to Hoyt (Reply #3)

Thu Jul 25, 2013, 08:45 PM

Jul 2013

She's got to live a life. Maybe she doesn't have enough money to move to another state where no one would no who she was.

She's simply trying to get out in front of people like you who think she did something wrong.

bigwillq

(72,790 posts)

10. Or maybe she is doing it for the money.

Reply to cherokeeprogressive (Reply #9)

Thu Jul 25, 2013, 08:47 PM

Jul 2013

Like that other juror.

cherokeeprogressive

(24,853 posts)

11. In any case, I wouldn't want to be in her shoes. She's got a tough row to hoe from here on out.

Reply to bigwillq (Reply #10)

Thu Jul 25, 2013, 08:50 PM

Jul 2013

If I were ever in voir dire in a trial I knew would be sensational I'd make sure to say something like "I'd make a PERFECT juror... I can spot guilt a mile away"...

Nevernose

(13,081 posts)

15. Those people still get on the jury

Reply to cherokeeprogressive (Reply #11)

Thu Jul 25, 2013, 09:01 PM

Jul 2013

Half the time. It's nuts, but at least where I live, the judges bend over backwards to make sure that people don't say ridiculous shot to get out of it.

Hoyt

(54,770 posts)

13. Then why come on TV, no one knew who she is. She did more wrong than Trayvon.

Reply to cherokeeprogressive (Reply #9)

Thu Jul 25, 2013, 08:58 PM

Jul 2013

cherokeeprogressive

(24,853 posts)

14. No way her anonymity was going to last forever. Before too long we'll know who they ALL are.

Reply to Hoyt (Reply #13)

Thu Jul 25, 2013, 09:00 PM

Jul 2013

Would you want to be in those shoes? Lots of angry people out there...

Hoyt

(54,770 posts)

16. Well, the bigots told us there would be riots after the verdict - but didn't happen.

Reply to cherokeeprogressive (Reply #14)

Thu Jul 25, 2013, 09:15 PM

Jul 2013

No one is going to harm her, quit spreading crud.

BainsBane

(53,035 posts)

4. Once, in FL ironically

Reply to diabeticman (Original post)

Thu Jul 25, 2013, 06:55 PM

Jul 2013

It was a civil trial, a bodily injury case from a car accident. I was more pro-plaintiff than the other jurors, but the low judgment was clearly a victory for the defense. The lawyer seemed pretty happy with it. If not for me, they wouldn't have given the woman anything.

My experience, however, doesn't begin to compare with the Zimmerman jury. I don't envy them one bit.

diabeticman

(3,121 posts)

5. neither doe my wife BUT she said her small experience is only the tip of the iceberg compare to

Reply to BainsBane (Reply #4)

Thu Jul 25, 2013, 07:00 PM

Jul 2013

what the Zimmerman jurors had to deal with. She's just saying it is not as easy as some might think.

LeftofObama

(4,243 posts)

7. I have been on three juries and one was a murder trial.

Reply to diabeticman (Original post)

Thu Jul 25, 2013, 07:24 PM

Jul 2013

We voted unanimously to acquit the guy because we felt it truly was in self defense. He was disabled and living with his mother. Whenever his mother left the house one of his family members would come over and beat him. One day he had had enough and pulled out a gun and shot the guy who was beating him 7 times. We deliberated less than 5 hours.

Control-Z

(15,682 posts)

17. I've been on a jury

Reply to diabeticman (Original post)

Thu Jul 25, 2013, 09:26 PM

Jul 2013

for a rape trial. I've been a witness for a grand jury hearing.

After living through the dynamic (where we took longer to convict a rapist than these jurors did to find the murderer not guilty) what I believe happened with this latest juror, and probably with the two who initially wanted the charge of manslaughter, is that she (they) was bullied.

There are always stronger personalities on a jury, with at least one being the bossy, bullying, type. That one juror who usually manages to take the lead is all it takes. On a 6 person jury I can imagine how easily a guilty verdict was demanded by at least one with several others cheering her on. I think we know who played that role.

P.S. In California, Grand Juries are made up of professionals/lawyers. I am assuming that it is the same for Federal Grand Juries. Is your wife a lawyer?

diabeticman

(3,121 posts)

18. No Federal Grand Jury is picked by Those registered to vote. She was basically picked at random

Reply to Control-Z (Reply #17)

Thu Jul 25, 2013, 09:34 PM

Jul 2013

by the computer. No questions asked if they where Prejudice or any typical questions one expects to asked. In fact the computer had already determined who was on the panel before the pool arrived.